Container with hands-free latch and linkage activation for access

Abstract

The invention pertains to a foot operated latch and linkage means permitting hands-free access to a waste or recycling container. The latch includes a kick plate which is interlocked with a foot pedal whereby displacement of the kick plate permits release of the foot pedal to move from a latched position to an unlatched position, which pedal movement engages a linkage which opens a user access door in the container.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A foot-operated latch means for hands-free access to a container comprising an interlocking latch having a kick plate with a step lock, and a foot pedal with a locking pin, each of the kick plate and foot pedal having a first latched position and a second unlatched position whereby, in the latched position, the locking pin is constrained by the step lock to prevent movement of the foot pedal from the latched position until the kick plate is first moved from the latched position to the unlatched position;
 the latch means further comprising linkage operatively connected between the foot pedal and a hinged access door, whereby movement of the foot pedal from the first latched position to the second unlatched position causes the linkage to crank, via an actuating bracket, the hinged access door to an open position. 
 
     
     
       2. The latch means of  claim 1 , wherein the kick plate is moveable pivotally to the unlatched position, thereby disengaging the lock step from the locking pin to permit movement of the foot pedal. 
     
     
       3. The latch means of  claim 2 , wherein the foot pedal is moveable about a pivot once the lock step has been moved into its unlatched position. 
     
     
       4. The latch means of  claim 2 , wherein the foot pedal includes an actuating lever. 
     
     
       5. The latch means of  claim 4 , where pivotal movement of the foot pedal also provides pivotal movement of the actuating lever. 
     
     
       6. The latch means of  claim 1 , wherein resilient means biases the kick plate towards the latched position. 
     
     
       7. The latch means of  claim 6 , wherein the resilient means is a spring. 
     
     
       8. The latch means of  claim 7 , wherein the spring biasing the kick plate is a torsion spring. 
     
     
       9. The latch means of  claim 1 , wherein resilient means biases the foot pedal towards the latched position. 
     
     
       10. The latch means of  claim 9 , wherein the resilient means is a spring. 
     
     
       11. The latch means of  claim 10 , wherein the spring biasing the foot pedal towards the latched position is an axial spring. 
     
     
       12. The latch means of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage to the access door comprises an actuating lever fixed at its proximal end to the foot pedal, a pivoting lever, and an activating bracket fixed at its proximal end to the hinged access door of the container, wherein a first link connects a distal end of the actuating lever to one end of the pivoting lever, and wherein a second link connects the other end of the pivoting lever to a distal end of the activating bracket, whereby upon movement of the foot pedal from the latched position to the unlatched position, the distal end of the actuating lever is moved, the one end of the pivoting lever is simultaneously moved by the first link and the other end of the pivoting lever is reciprocated, simultaneously moving the second link connected to said other end of the pivoting lever and the activating bracket, whereby the activating bracket cranks the hinged access door to an open position. 
     
     
       13. The latch means of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage to the hinged access door comprises an actuating lever fixed at its proximal end to the foot pedal, a Bowden cable extending from the distal end of the actuating lever to one end of an activating bracket, the other end of the activating bracket being fixed to the hinged access door to enable pivotal opening of the door. 
     
     
       14. The latch means of  claim 12 , wherein the activating bracket is a bell crank.